


A Little (More) TLC

by pirateherokillian (Pirateherokillian)



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-15
Updated: 2017-10-15
Packaged: 2019-01-17 22:06:04
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,908
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12375078
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pirateherokillian/pseuds/pirateherokillian
Summary: Killian and Emma finally talk about what she experienced in the Wish!Realm. A deleted scene for 6.11 written for the CSSB Vol.2.





	A Little (More) TLC

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, so... the timing of this is pure coincidence. Today was the first day I was allowed to post the story separately from the storybook. There's absolutely no way I could've known, when writing this story two months ago, that I would be posting it just two days after 6.11 because EXTREMELY important to the show's narrative again. So yeah... the timing of it seems too perfect, but I swear, it wasn't even remotely planned. Even still, I think I did okay writing a story that actually aligned pretty well with what is now canon? Anywho, hope you enjoy it!

“Here you go, love.” 

Emma sat up expectantly, her mussed blonde tresses tumbling down over her shoulder as she did so. She reached out, flexing her fingers excitedly as Killian carefully handed off one of the two steaming mugs in his hand. 

“Thanks, babe.” She smiled gratefully before bringing the cup up to her lips to take a hearty sip. “Mmmm, that’s perfect.” She sighed, eyes fluttering closed before she went in for a second pull at the mug. “It feels like I haven’t had a good cup of hot chocolate in a lifetime.”

Killian gave an understanding sort of nod as he moved back around their bed to place his own mug down on his nightstand. “It’s an odd sort of thing, having multiple sets of memories bounding around in one’s head.” He turned on his heels, eyes scanning the floor for his long discarded leather jacket.

“It is.” Emma sighed. “It feels all weird, and yet not at the same time. Like I lived there, but also he-” She opened her eyes and frowned as Killian continued to pursue their abandoned clothes. “What are you looking for?”

He let out a triumphant little sound before he bent over and rummaged through the insides of his outerwear. He popped back up with a cheeky little wink for her a moment later. “The third greatest treasure in all the lands.”

Emma eyed the flask he gave a little shake to as he moved back towards his side of the bed. “Is that really necessary?”

“As I always say, love.” Killian pulled the cork with his teeth and gave her a playful grin. “Never hurts.” He raised the leather-clad bottle in mock salute before upending it over his hot chocolate. A generous amount of amber liquid poured in before he righted it and reset the cork. He tossed the flask to the table and grabbed his mug, finally taking a deep drink of his own.

“Now that’s  _ my _ sort of perfect.” He murmured, licking the whipped cream off his top lip before giving Emma his own happy sort of grin. It faltered when he found her not watching him in the same loving way she had been since she’d returned from the twisted wish realm. Instead, her attention was firmly fixed on the mug now gripped tightly in her grasp. “Emma?”

She looked up quickly, too quickly for Killian’s liking, and gave a tight smile. “Yeah?”

Killian titled his head to side a fraction. “What is it?”

“I just wish-” Emma stopped abruptly, eyes going wide. Killian’s eyebrows shot up at her reaction to what she’d said. “I...I mean, I had hoped…” She sorta winced and made a face. “We’d go without the rum tonight?” Her voice was a bit strained as she got it out.

Lowering his mug slowly back to the nightstand, Killian let his tongue run along his bottom lip as his brow furrow. When the cup was carefully settled, his blues eyes sharply turned on Emma. “Tell me what happened in this other realm.”

“Killian…” Emma whined, turning to place her own mug down. 

“No. Don’t ‘Killian’ me like I’m going mad out of some simple curiosity.” Killian argued back with a dramatic shake of his hand, holding it out towards her. “There was clearly something that happened there that left some sort of impression, and based on your remarks, and that strange version of Robin’s, I’m convinced it involved me somehow.”

“To be fair, I didn’t even know the other Robin even knew you there.” Emma supplied in what he figured was meant to be a helpful tone. “He wasn’t with me when you…” She waved her hand as well. “Appeared.”

Killian’s hand dropped sharply. “So you did meet a version of me there then,” At Emma’s small nod, he gave a nod of his own. “And I gather, from your tone and general unwillingness to speak of it, he was less than honorable?” He sighed, vividly imagining just how deplorable this other version of himself had been.

“Actually…” Emma pulled out the word awkwardly. “ _ ‘Less _ than’ might be a poor way to describe it.”

Brow furrowing again, Killian looked back to her in confusion. “How do you mean?” At her helpless look, he gave her a desperate one of his own. “You can’t possibly mean I was a hero there too? With the way you’re talking - or  _ not _ talking about it, you make it seem like I was more despicable…”

Emma waved her hands quickly. “No, no… you weren’t despicable, Killian. You were… different? You were doing something heroic..ish?” She growled and threw back the comforter resting over her bare legs. “I can’t really describe it, okay? Everything was all so weird and… then there you were...and you were you but you weren’t and I just…” She crawled across the bed and came to stand before him. There was a wild look in her eyes she only ever got when a less than properly thought out idea hit her. 

“Do you trust me?” She asked quietly, taking her hand in his own.

Despite the frustration and confusion he was feeling, Killian didn’t even have to think about his response. He brushed his thumb over her knuckles and leaned in to kiss her softly. “Of course, love.” 

Emma let out gush of air through her nose and nodded. “Okay,” She pulled him towards the bathroom, flicking on the light as they entered into the other room. She came to a stop right in front of the mirror, her expression apprehensive as their eyes met in the reflection. “Just… don’t freak out too much, alright?”

Killian turned to look at her directly. “Why would I possibly-” He stopped as Emma waved her hand and a blinding light engulfed him for a few seconds. In that short period of time, everything seemed to shift and he had to take a steadying step as it seemed the world felt more off-balance than it had a moment before. When the light faded away, Killian’s eyes went comically wide as he took in his reflection again.

“Bloody hell!” He yelped, pulling his hand from her grasp to brace himself against the counter. The man staring back at him was him, but not, just as Emma had said. It was no wonder she’d had such trouble finding a way to describe... whatever this was he was staring at. A part of him was screaming this was wrong. That Emma was playing some sick joke on him. But deep down, he knew… this was him. It wasn’t just about the looks, it was a deep understanding of just how he’d gotten this way.

Stepping closer to him, as if sensing his drastic mood shift, Emma placed a gentle hand on his arm. “Killian, it’s okay.”

“No, it very well isn’t Emma.” Killian muttered, glaring up and down at how he looked. The shaggy grey hair and beard, the food-stained and tattered clothing, the bulging gut. He was a mess. It was no wonder the other Robin had remarked on how spry he had looked. “It’s a bloody disgrace.  _ I’m _ a bloody disgrace.”

Her fingers gripped his arm hard. “You definitely are  _ not  _ a disgrace.” She gestured with her other hand up and down his haggard appearance. “This was the work of a wish from a sick and hateful woman. Someone spiteful and looking to bring out what  _ she _ thought was the worst and most pathetic versions of everyone she envies.”

“She did a damn fine job of it too.” He mumbled, mouth grimacing in disgust. 

Emma tilted her head and then pressed it against his shoulder. “Not as fine as she would’ve liked.”

Killian’s blue eyes flitted up to meet her green ones reflecting back at him. He could see the affection in her gaze as she stared at him. He raised a bushy grey eyebrow in shock. “You  _ cannot _ be serious, love.”

Smirking, Emma moved to stand behind him. Pressing up on her toes, she rested her chin on his shoulder and wrapped her arms around his middle, resting them atop the rounded belly he was currently sporting. “If there’s one thing I know about Killian Jones, no matter where or when he is…” She lifted her hand a fraction and gave a quick flick of her wrist. White light engulfed them both again and when it faded, this time Killian found himself staring back at the same older version of himself. Only now the hair was pulled back into a ponytail, the beard trimmed, the clothes clean. The belly remained, but what really caught Killian’s attention was the warmth in Emma’s gaze as she smiled at him through the mirror.

“All he needs is a little T.L.C to find himself again.” Killian felt himself blush and opened his mouth to refute her claim, but Emma gave him a gentle squeeze to quiet him up again. “I was drawn to you in that alternate realm, Killian, just like I always am. Yeah, you were a bit… more all around. And maybe had let the rum go to your head-”

“And my gut.” Killian couldn’t stop himself from griping. 

Emma snorted quietly and pressed a kiss against his weathered neck. “Point is, you were still in there somewhere, and it pulled us together, even if it was comical and quick.” She shrugged. “I thought you were cute. Wasted and ridiculous, but cute.”

“So why not just tell me?”

“Did you see the look on your face when you first saw how you looked?” Emma laughed and spun him around to face her. She pressed a kiss to his lips, leaning over his aforementioned gut to reach. “You’re a bit vain, Captain. You would never have believed it.”

“Well, I certainly believe it now.” Killian mumbled, reaching up to brush a thumb against her jawline. “Please tell me I’m not staying like this as some sort of lesson. Because if you’re trying to keep me away from the rum…”

Emma waved her hand for a third time and instantly, Killian could tell he was back to his old...or rather younger self again. “I’m not trying to keep you away all the time or forever.” She made one of those innocent faces again. “Just trying to help you keep your vanity in tact for a while longer.”

Killian growled and kissed her fiercely. It was as if being back to his normal self had reinvigorated his spryly ways. “I like to look good, Swan.” He whispered as he walked her back until her back hit the bathroom wall.  He used his hook to slowly undo the button of his shirt she had been wearing since he’d returned with the hot chocolate.

“I like that you like to look good.” She gasped as he pressed his teeth against where her neck and shoulder met. She tugged gently on his dark hair. “Though I do wonder,” She pulled his lips from her skin to give him a curious and playful look. “What it’d be like if you weren’t so… youthful looking?”

Killian groaned and dropped his forehead to her shoulder. “Bloody hell, woman.” He sighed and stepped back. “Work your magic then, Princess.” As she moved to wave that hand yet again, he pointed at her. “But you owe me a damn barrel of rum after this.”

Emma grinned and wiggled her fingers in weird anticipation. “As you wish.”


End file.
